Where is this relationship going?

Signing young players on loan has worked well for Celtic in the recent past: Patrick Roberts and Odsonne Edouard, being good examples. While others, like Charly Musonda, failed to make the grade. Musonda had talent (you remember that chip against Zenit), but he never looked up to the physical challenges of the professional game.

When Celtic sign the likes of Timothy Weah on a short-term loan, our initial thought is, “Where is this relationship going?” Will the loan be extended, as it was for Roberts, or end in a purchase, as it did for Edouard, or will this be a one-off gig?

Weah appears to have abundant talent but his chances of breakthrough at PSG are limited. Mbappe, Neymar and Cavani head an illustrious list of strikers at a club always looking to add to their squad. It is more likely that the Paris club will look to build Weah’s value at Celtic in the hope of earning an inflated transfer fee. This practice is how all tier-one clubs operate and underpins their Financial Fair Play credentials.

It is important for Celtic to build a squad – to manage our assets. The try before you buy model, used effectively with Edouard, works well in this regard. Building relationships with PSG or Man City, who know their players can gain necessary experience and appreciate in value, means we remain a valuable option for future deals.

But we also need to win football games, irrespective of more strategic concerns, even if there is no long-term relationship with the player. Sometimes it is OK for a relationship not to last beyond the summer.

You shouldn’t waste your time arguing with closed minds, who see anyone who has “done good” for themselves, usually due to parental sacrifices to ensure a good education.

At a time like this, when it is open War between Celtic and the combined forces of Scottish football, media and civic authorities, we still get bombarded on here and elsewhere from Tactical experts, Financial experts and a whole host of frustrated DJs.

All admirable Peace Time topics, but surely when we are under such an onslaught, last seen in the Dougie, Dougie era, we, as a support should be solidly behind Celtic and devising ways to show that support.

Our enemies lie in Hampden , aided by all other institutions in the country.

We need to find common ground with supporters of other clubs, instead of insulting their hospitality with parts of our outdated, outmoded song book, sung specifically to offend.

Had Bayo signed for Sevco, we could look forward to rave reviews about this exciting talent who was about to take the SPL by storm. If his first few games were a disappointment, we would be reading of how his remarkable talent was obvious but he just needs a little time to adjust to the SPL.He would be considered a wonderful buy by Sevco ( that reads well !).

It will be interesting to see how the MSSM respond to the fact that he has signed for Celtic. It will be equally interesting to see if Celtic supporters then echo those `opinions`.

“You shouldn’t waste your time arguing with closed minds, who see anyone who has “done good” for themselves, usually due to parental sacrifices to ensure a good education.”

Assuming the comment is (partially) aimed at me. Couldn’t be more inaccurate if you tried. Evidently you are unable to contribute on the substance of the discussion so resort to a banal and spurious statement.

I’m happy that we have made 3 signings thus far; I think all will make a contribution as well. However, such is my desire to put the nails in Sevco’s coffin (which we have the financial means to do so), that I don’t want us to take our foot off the gas and rest on our laurels.

” The board have done many fine things on behalf of our club and rightfully many have praised them.

But it is not a one way street and some criticism is valid.”

A good point ( ie I agree !). As I said the other day, balance is the key. I am not balanced in my views re Celtic on here. My rationale is that the MSSM are so negative re our Club that being constantly positive is , ironically, my attempt to help balance things out.

It’s a strange feeling, being delighted while knowing next to nowt about two of our three new signings, but the important thing for me is that Brendan wanted these guys and he’s got them, in pretty short order.

Castagne’s agent has apparently confirmed that Atalanta want 6 million euros for him.

Tony Ralston looks a much better player after his loan period & injury recovery.

He should be allowed to make the position his own.

(As it happens, my ex pro son told me that he was once asked to play at full back instead his normal midfield/striker role. He loved the relative increased time he had to use the ball & not having to have 360 degree vision when he received the ball. Then that was the old days.)

While we all get energised by transfers in, it’s the movement out that also matter.

Regrettably, some are past their use by date, some need to get 1st team time & others just don’t fit.

My list for these categories is likely to be the same as most Celtic fans.

As for the “Buy players instead of loanees” that’s often a convoluted rabbit hole inside a conundrum.

Two words – Marvin Commper.

Two more words – Rafael Scheidt.

Another two words – Juninho (sorry one word)

More two words – well you get the point.

Celtic don’t & cannot sign top players at the peak of their game – unless they are dyed in the wool Tims who want to be here.

Traditionally, we scoured the Scottish leagues for talent but then many other clubs got the message & our range of targets reduced. Some because players could be sure of a 1st team lace at say Hibs, but not with us. Others because we were being asked for more money & got priced out of it. Etc

We also tapped into a market for our club in Ireland.

Then we went to Scandinavia until others cottoned on to the potential there.

Then we went to Eastern Europe (sort of) until…

Then we went back to Ireland.

Then we took some guys from England with some baggage.

Then we scoured even more obscure leagues …

Then we scouted US College leagues..

My challenge to you all is this..

Name the last world class player who, while in his prime, signed for Celtic?

There have been many great players but for me that last in that category to sign was Henrik.

And we only got him because he had baggage & issues from his time at Feyenoord & Wim knew about the release clause amount.

What all of that stuff means is that our scouting & due diligence research on players has got to be better than most other clubs & we have to accept that we cannot compete for many of the exotic names that put bums on seats.

It’s obvious to me at least, that our scouting & due diligence could do with re-assessment & improvement.

Exhibit A is Marvin Commper.

There are other examples too, but he is the highest profile one at present.

If he is not good enough for the 1st team, what possible value can he give by strolling through training sessions while others are getting paid less & fighting for a place in the team.

I fail to even understand why he is currently in Dubai.

I’m not close enough to know whether some players are Lawwell punts or genuinely Brendan signings, but if that scenario exists – then it is/has been a recipe for confusion & disunity: both of which are anathema to team moral.

Is Lee Congerton still at the club? I heard some other club was trying to sign him.

I agree with the comments already made about one aspect of our recruitment.

Our dealings with some Tier One clubs has been god for us – Man City & PSG know that we will look after their loan players & we are prepared to buy if possible.

We should though be treating our own youth team players with the same level of care & attention. I’m not so sure that we do. And don’t get me started on losing fine youth players who go on the be champions with other sides.

It seems to me & others that the goodwill & trust amongst coaches & management that was evident in Brendan’s first season started to unravel last season. I don’t know why or exactly when but I wondered if it was when Mr Congerton joined us. The last 3 windows have been poorly managed & we are paying the price for that now. Easy signings such as Hayes & Mulumbu require very little effort by the club – on any level, so when you look at the other types of signings – we are not even punching our own weight.

I want Mr Lawwell to earn his salary & bonus by addressing the apparent complacency & dysfunction that appears to exist with our recruitment & management of players.

I hope that Brendan stays with us for a long time to come, but he needs to re-discover that magic touch too.

Perhaps Gordon Strachan’s opinion that Celtic managers have a 3 year shelf life has more truth in it than we imagined, but I suspect the real issue is that familiarity combined with jobs for life staff elsewhere in the club only produces complacency which becomes the elephant in the room during board or even coaches meetings.

Other clubs achieve continuity without complacency, so unless the current squad & coaches are tired of winning every trophy in Scotland for the last 2.5 years…

I support the loan & try them out policy in principle but those signings shouldn’t be the backbone of our team. We ourselves loan players to clubs that are perceived to be a lower standard (no offence) just so that player & us maintain a mutual interest. Years ago our players went out to a Junior side for games & development, so this is nothing new.

If Congerton’s brief is to sign players that will generate a profit for the club on a sell-on as a priority before they are players that Brendan actually wants – which I suspect might be the basis for the disconnect – then Lawwell knows what he has to do. Ideally you sign a player that ticks both boxes – but the rumour mill & some dysfunction suggests that too often only one of those boxes gets a tick.

I know there is anti-Lawwell sentiment on here (some rational others less so); I could make an argument that the pro-Lawwell rhetoric falls into similar categories.

“Do you not think it even the slightest bit irrational to be slagging off the CEO at this stage???”

Re this point. I know it may sound counter-intuitive considering matters objectively, but I think, looking subjectively at our position and recent history, it would be a misnomer to consider our current success attributable to our CEO.

After the fall of the USSR, Francis Fukuyama (economist/political scientist) produced a book based upon a previous essay of his titled, “The End of History and the Last Man”. To steal the main gist of the book from Wikipedia:

“What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the passing of a particular period of post-war history, but the end of history as such: that is, the end point of mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalisation of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.”

Evidently his assertion was wrong.

The reason I mention the above is that we are seemingly falling into a similar trap. We have forgotten what preceded the arrival of BR (Mowbray, Deila and Lennon, a youth coach who turned into a great manager) and now suppose that our success achieved under BR (7 out of 7) will be ever thus. For me, our current success is on account of BR not attributable to a well laid plan by our executives; after all, BR’s arrival was borne out of disaster. I just worry that we are resting on our laurels and certain people within the organisation believe themselves to be of greater importance and value than they necessarily are; and may imperil the future success of the club by driving away our greatest asset- BR.

That’s why I criticise Lawwell, as I cannot rationalise that his efforts have led to our current success.

Beautiful almost Spring-like sunshine here in Dublin to-day and perfect for a bracing walk along the Clontarf seafront. Great to finish it off with the best carvery in town in the Yacht a fine hostelry indeed.

The good news is Celtic are moving quickly in the transfer market with the addition of Weah, Burke and Bayo – or Billy Billy Bayo as the legendary Jim Reeves used sing about. These lads may be good footballers but can they drink a pint of stout?

The next phase for Celtic to sort is defence particularly with both Boyata and Benkovic for the off unless Dermot Desmond can convince the Croatian and find the money to keep him at Paradise. Could Mikael move to central defence and let’s hope Scott Brown stays, he still can be a solid squad player.

Some great programmes on Billy Connolly on BBC2 over the Christmas. of course nothing about Billy would be complete without a segment relating to Celtic. Billy maitains the singing at Celtic Park has dipped since his early experience folllowing the club particularly when the strains of The Dear Little Shamrock would echo all around the stadium. Nothing like it to-day says Billy.

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